The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-09-09
And shes Well, is it strange that she loved,

And shea Well, is it strange that she loved,
tool
And yet could lie marry hera What would
ais mother saya How would Madison square
receive his backwoods brides
The question was settled in an unexpected
way. His mother suddenly died, and after
hurried visit to the north he returned again
to Florida, with the determination to buy an
orange grove, and as there was no one now
to interfere with his plans, to marry and SET
tie down as permanent resident Of the Pc
ninsula state. xF*
Meanwhile there was another who was
deeply interested in the affairs of these two
people Lemuel Ruffner, owner of the ad-
joining 3claring," had long regarded Sukey
with deepening affection, and before Stanleys
coming had felt sense of ownership in her
Not that she had ever encouraged him, but
the aold uns" had approved bis wooing
But now he saw the prize slipping from his
grasp. The rough, awkward, ignorant back
woodsman needed no words frem others to
tell him how matters stood. He noted with
keen glance from beneath his slouched hat the
flushing cheek and heaving breast of the girl
when Stanley was near, and he entertained
no doubt that the northern lover possessed
her heart It angered Lem and filed him
with ranking bitterness to watch the wooing
of these people, yet a strange fascination ever
drew him back to witness his own defeat and
humiliation. It happened, therefore, that he
was still frequent, almost daily visitor at
the Sullivan cabin, where he gloomily sat
with the old folks
"Lem air gittin' queer" said Mrs Sullivan
one day, pausing in her snuff dipping long
enough to make this remark "He air mighty
glum an musin' like Reckon he sot gret
stor' by Sukey."
"An' Use wishin' hit was him stead O. the
other feller," said Sullivan gravely "Lem's
her own kim o folks"
"Jess ye hor yer tongue, ole man." ex-
claimed Mrs. Sullivan viciously, "whar's yo'
, prides Doesn't ye want yo' own gal ter do
we'll when she's got er chance? An amt she
jess as goods any of EN-, an kin hor er
heads high an LUX as purtya Lawd, MANI
Why am We SO trifiin'"
One night Lem was particularly aggravated
by what he saw, and took an early depart
ure. Passing along the bride path, how
ever, he came suddenly and Unexpectedly on
Stanley and Sue (as her lover now called
herr, sitting on fallen tree trunk, his arm
about her waist. The sight maddened Lem,
and sudden wild thought possessing him,
he darted unseen into the thicket, and plung-
ing headlong through the forest, came out on
the path again good half mile beyond the
clearing, painting, breathless, torn and bleed
ing. Striding now up and down the path,
his hands clenched, his face distorted with
passion, he muttered
"rl fix ye, ye puny, white livered cussS
Ye can't ride over we'uns, reckon! Curse
ye, I'll fix yel>
His hand clasped his ugly knife with con-
WI slve grasp as he spo&e. Love anu o.sap-
pointment had worked wondrous and a
devilish change indeed in dull, soft hearted
Lem Ruffner
Suddenly he was startled by light touch
on his arm, and the rays of the rising moon
shone full OH Sues white, scared face.
"What air We gwine ter do, Lem?" she
asked, anxously, and then, as look of hor
ror came into her eyes, she cried, aye air
meanin' him harm, Lem, oh, We air 'lowin'
ter kill him!n
Lem looked at the upturned face Of tho
girl, and with a-bitter laugh exclaimed:
aye air a right smart gal, sukey Ye kin
jess look clar inter a man III tell jess what he
reckons ter do. Yes, air gwine to kill him,
suahp
"Oh, Leml why will ye do hit? Has he
ever harmed you!"
"Ain't he harmed me, and robbed me, and
hurted me bad? Amt the smooth talkin'
cuss stopped me all short N sudden like, N
driv all the cumfert out'n my life? Dye
reckin as only hims er heart N feelins n
hopes N plans? Dye reckin we'uns CANT hev
no fection fer a sweet, purity gal, jess s'wels
him? Kin see him a takin' ye away from
me n not hate him? LUX hyar, Sukev, air
mad ter night, n I'm gwine ter kill N tear
his heart outen him! You git"
"Oh, Lem, dom yer do hitlD pleaded Sue,
clingng convulsively to his arm, though he
tried to shake her off. "Dont yer do hiti
Ye amt no murderer ter heart, ye air too
good fur't N ye doesn't wanter hang; We
wants ter die in yer bed like honest folks"
"Curse yer hapgin' Do cyar fer hits Use
no felkses m no frens. reckined he'd ye,
but he stole ye away, N I've jess nothin'. Let
'em hang me. I'll fix him, tho, curse me if
don't!"
so, Lem! won't nothin' save him? Must
ye do it, suahg' cried the terrified girl, and,
throwing herself at his feet, she pleaded in
agonized tones for the life of the man she
loved.
A sudden idea pierced LENS dull BRAIN
What if he could make Stanley suffer as he
suffereda What if he could infict excruciat-
ing and lifelong pain? Would it not be better,
even. than killing his rivals
aWhat wud ye do eff / let him go, Sukeyp
he asked. E3
aOh, Lem, I'd do anythin' ye sed, only jess
let him go. Fer my sake don't yer kill himl"
"Yes, for your sake!" exclaimed Lem with
bitter emphasis, "that's jess hitl Hit war fer
your sake war gwyne ter kill him"
aBut now ye won't, Lem; ye won't do hit,
will We? I'll do whatever ye say, only let him
60" .-...s ,.,....
eyer love him, sukey!"
The girl turned her tear filed, pleading
eyes on Lem, and clasping her hands in the
intensity of her emotion, exclaimed:
aRettern life or anythin'p
Lem ground his teeth savagely, and only
by mighty effort controlled hirnselk
GThen ven do what say Swar shat ye'l
never speak to him agin, nor ever see him,
nor marry him. Swar ter all that N he goes
fEse ciar, but eff ye don't III pitch his dead
carcass inter the swamp thar ternight fer the
hogs N the buzzards ter feed on!s
aOh, Leml not that airi No, not thatin
cried the girl piteously.
"That er death fer him, Lem answered,
with grim fsrocity. and Sue, looking UP into
his face and searching it for some sign Of pity
or relenting, saw only dogged, vindictive
hate With hope gone she cried, II swarl II
swarin aud fell in aswoon at his feet lsss
Lem conveyed the girl to her home by q
short cut, and few minutes. LATER STAN
ley, coming along the path, wkissied softly
sonle popular air and went with buOyant
stsp, never dreaming Of danger and wholly
ignorant Of the sacrifice just made for his
sake. A*%
But Lem was disappointed. Although he
had scored an imaginary victory, it did not
give him the satisfaction he had expected.
Going to his lonely cabin after seeing that
Snkey was safe at, home, he tried to sleep,
but instead tossed feverishly ON his bed.
Finally he arose, and partially dressing him
self went out into the forest, where lie walked
restlessly back and forth. ~
It was beautiful night, transcendently
sweet and pure and elevating. Amid the
silence and solemn grandeur there was no
hint of trisls jealousies or heartachea.
Rather, they spoke Of rest, peace, love, an
overruling power that doeth all things well.
Something akin, to this idea penetrated
LENS mind. He felt the soothing influence
of the night, but ne could not tell how or
why he felt it. Probably no thought OF ex-
PLANTATION occurred TO him. He only vaguely
knew that out under the giittering stars he
felt gradually stealing over him Q mood he
had not felt in many weeks The ferce pas
sinr, burned osIf in his hear& bis yindicfiva